young, beautiful women competed for the
opportunity to be sent.
75 Bold Fox was only a man, and the beauty of many of those that came
to him overwhelmed him. But it was not only that, it was the women's
determination that often won his heart. Their persistence was often
what made them chosen; the ones that refused to accept his first 'No!'
and returned time and time again, often taking jobs of common labor to
stay where he was, and continue to press their mission.
76 As he courted Blue Blossom, she was at first irritated by this
constant attention for his favors, but after a while she became as
understanding to the problem as Bold Fox was, often counseling those
that persisted, and encouraging him to accept this one or that one who
was of exceptional character.
77 They gave up all ideas of courtship. The very evening of election
they were mated in a little Temple outside of the village where Bold
Fox had been born. All of his people had been mated here, since the
time of The Old Fox, and he would not be the first to break the
tradition.
78 When he moved to The First Speaker's House, it was with a family.
For Wise Crow was as much a son to him, as he was to Blue Blossom. Bold
Fox entered The Speaker's House and completed all the projects Trusting
Fox had had in mind, and worked on several of his own. The mid-cities
of the two tunnels were named Trusting and Bold. The upper city of One
was named Leaping, and the upper city of the other was named Little
Blossom. The lower city of One was called Sleepy. While the lower city
of the other was called Wise.
79 Now, after Bold Fox became First Speaker, emissaries came from Zo.
''Long," they said, "have we been your allies, long have we elected our
Kings as you elect your Speakers. Now we wish to become one with